Kessingland Parish Council's response to the East of England Plan Draft Revision to the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England
Introduction - summary
The East of England Plan or Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) sets out the regional strategy of planning and development in the East of England to the year 2021. It covers economical development, housing, the environment, transport, work management, culture, sport and recreation, mineral extraction and more.
The Regional Spatial Strategy has a key role in contributing to the sustainable development of the region. It sets out policies, which address the needs of the region and sub regions. These policies provide a development framework for the next 15-20 years that will influence the quality of life, the character of places and how they function and confirm other strategies and plans.
A major feature of the Regional Spatial Strategy is that it identifies the significant investment that will be needed in social, environmental, economic and transport facilities (infrastructure) if it is to achieve its desired results. That investment will come from a variety of sources including central and local government funding and private developer funding
Policy: - SS2 - overall approach to the spatial strategy
In order to achieve a close correlation between homes, jobs, and community facilities, urban areas will be the main focus for development and redevelopment in the region, the key centres on which development and change will be focussed are :-
Basildon, Bedford, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Colchester, Great Yarmouth, Harlow, Hemel Hempstead, Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Lowestoft, Luton/Dunstable, Norwich, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Stansted/M11 corridor towns, Stevenage, Thurrock, Watford.
Support
At a Parish Council Meeting on the 12th February 2005, members of the Parish Council agreed in principle to support the East of England Plan.
Having agreed to the East of England Plan in principle there are policies contained within the report that the Parish Council feel they should give individual comment on.
Housing Development, Health, Transport, Environment and Coastal issues are some of the issues highlighted in Kessingland's Parish Plan and mirror the issues contained in the East of England strategy.
The Parish Council would like to see no change to the overall strategy, but request that all comments are considered when the final plan is drawn up and that the wishes of all Communities across the region are taken into account.
Policy: - SS3 - development in and around adjoining urban areas
Local development documents may make provision for development in or adjacent to urban area where the scale and location of the release:
1. will not adversely affect the need to make maximum use of previously developed land and buildings and efforts to deliver sub-regional urban renaissance in accordance with sequential approach and phased release of land, and
2. if greenfield, represents the most sustainable option by virtue of:
· existing access to good quality public transport, or where the development can assist new public transport provision
· utilising existing physical and social infrastructure
· having good access to housing, jobs, schools, shopping, and leisure facilities
· avoidance of adverse impact on environmental assets such as nature conservation and landscape character, historic features, mineral reserves, water resources and air quality.
Greenfield land releases should be appropriate in scale to the adjoining urban area. Significant urban extensions should be large enough to provide sustainable form of development, in relation to employment, public transport provision, and social, health, education, and community facilities provision.
Observation
The use of 'greenfield' should only be considered in the most urgent of cases where there is no other alternative.
Kessingland is separated from the Lowestoft urban area by a belt of 'greenfield ' and would insist that this remain so. If this gap were to close, Kessingland would lose its identity.
Policy: - SS4 - use of previously developed land and buildings
At least 60% of all new development in the region will take place in or using previously used land or buildings. Local development documents will identify and allocate suitable previously developed land and buildings for new development with a view to contributing to this target
Support
The use of 'brownfield' sites should be encouraged for all future developments where such sites exist within an area.
Within the Parish of Kessingland, land for development is at a premium, there are very few, if any at all, 'brownfield' sites left to develop. The Parish Council fears that 'greenfield' will be used when the 'brownfield' options run out.
Policy: - SS6 - Transport strategy.
Transport delivery agencies will improve accessibility and support the economic and spatial development of the region. This will be done through: